68 THE BUTTERFLIES OF CEYLON 
says: “‘So far as I know phedrus is the only Curetis occur- 
ring in Ceylon, but it is surely highly probable that thetjs 
occurs there also. What any particular records mean 
is of course doubtful, so long as phedrus and thetis are 
more or less confounded. On the other hand the thetis of 
Moore’s “‘Lepidoptera of Ceylon’ is no doubt phedrus.” 
From the key he gives it appears that in thetis the harpe 
has a “lateral (or rather ventral) process.” In phedrus 
the “‘harpe is simple.’’ Can the variation be seasonal ? 
I believe there is only one species in Ceylon. 
Very common in the drier parts of the low-country. The 
male is very plentiful at Wellawaya, and is almost 
always found settled on wet roads and inriver-beds. The 
female is scarce there. At Anuradhapura I have found the 
male scarce, but the female common. I have specimens 
from Elephant Pass (Jaffna), Mannar, Dambulla, etc., and 
have taken one on this estate (3,000 feet). 
It is a most variable insect. I have a few males, which 
correspond exactly to Bingham’s description of var. arcuata, 
and there is a similar one in the Colombo Museum. My 
other males vary much in the shape of the wings and in the 
width of the black border on the fore wing ; this border is 
almost always produced a short way up each vein of both 
wings. All varieties fly together, 
The female usually has far less white than in Bingham’s 
description and plate. In only one of my specimens does it 
reach to vein I. I have never seen the form with this patch 
yellow in Ceylon. 
Thecline 
120. ZESIUS CHRYSOMALLUS. 
Also found in India. 
A common low-country fly, but the male is not rare at 
Haldummulla, April to August, | 
I found it extremely abundant at Kegalle, both sexes 
being equally plentiful on the tea, October to February. It 
is not rare at Galle, Jaffna, Mannar, and Trincomalie. 
The male varies very little, but the female is most variable 
